SUBSTRATE-GUIDED IMAGING LENS

• US 20090052047A1
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumus Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Lumus Ltd.
• Inventors: Amitai, Yaakov
• Granted Patent: US 8,000,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/633
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0125 Field-of-view increase by wavefront division
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0046 Tapered light guide, e.g. wedge-shaped light guide

Abstract

There is provided an optical system, including a substrate having a major surface and edges, an optical element for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection, a reflecting surface carried by the substrate, a retardation plate and a reflecting optical element. The retardation plate is located between a portion of the major surface of the substrate and the reflecting optical element.

Claims

1. An optical system, comprising:

a substrate having at least one major surface and edges;

an optical element carried by said substrate for coupling light into said substrate by total internal reflection;

at least one reflecting surface carried by said substrate, and at least one retardation plate,

characterized by at least one reflecting optical element,

wherein said retardation plate is located between at least a portion of the major surface of the substrate and said reflecting optical element.

2. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said reflecting surface is not parallel to any of the edges of said substrate.

3. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said light transmitting substrate further comprising a second major surface.

4. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said two major surfaces are parallel.

5. The optical system according to claim 1, further comprising a display light source.

6. The optical system according to claim 5, wherein said display light source produces image light waves which are coupled by said optical element into said substrate by total internal reflection.

7. The optical system according to claim 6, wherein said light waves are linearly polarized.

9. The optical system according to claim 5, wherein said display light source is positioned adjacent to one of the major surfaces of said substrate.

10. The optical system according to claim 6, wherein said light waves are coupled by said reflecting surface out of said substrate.

11. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said retardation plate is a quarter-wavelength plate.

12. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said reflecting optical element is an imaging lens.

13. The optical system according to claim 12, wherein said reflecting optical element includes two surfaces, a first of said surfaces is transparent and a second is coated with a reflecting material.

14. The optical system according to claim 13, wherein said retardation plate is positioned between said first transparent surface and one of the major surfaces of said substrate.

15. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said optical element far coupling light into said substrate is a reflecting surface embedded in said substrate.

16. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said optical element for coupling light into said substrate is a polarizing beamsplitter.

18. The optical system according to claim 16, wherein said optical element for coupling light reflects s-polarized light and transmits p-polarized light.

19. The optical system according to claim 16, wherein said optical element for coupling light reflects p-polarized light and transmits s-polarized light.

20. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said reflecting surface carried by said substrate is a polarizing beamsplitter.

24. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said reflecting optical element and the retardation plate are positioned adjacent to said optical element for coupling light into said substrate.

25. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said reflecting optical element and the retardation plate are positioned adjacent to said reflecting surface carried by said substrate.

27. The optical system according to claim 11, wherein said reflecting optical element is optically attached to said quarter-wave retardation plate.

28. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said reflecting optical element is a collimating lens.

32. The optical system according to claim 5, further comprising a light source.

33. The optical system according to claim 32, wherein said light source is positioned adjacent to one of the major surfaces of said substrate.

36. The optical system according to claim 1, further comprising a second reflecting surface carried by said substrate.

37. The optical system according to claim 36, wherein said second reflecting surface is parallel to said optical element for coupling light into said substrate.

38. The optical system according to claim 1, further comprising a second reflecting optical element.

39. The optical system according to claim 38, wherein said second reflecting optical element is positioned adjacent to one of the major surfaces of the substrate.

40. The optical system according to claim 38, wherein a retardation plate is positioned between said second reflecting optical element and said major surface of the substrate.

45. The optical system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second light-transmitting substrate having at least two major surfaces parallel to each other and two edges;

second optical element for coupling light into said substrate by internal reflection, and

at least one partially reflecting surface located in said substrate, which surface is non-parallel to the major surfaces of said second substrate,

wherein said second substrate is positioned adjacent to said first substrate.

46. The optical system according to claim 45, wherein optical waves which are coupled out of said first substrate are coupled by said second optical element into said second substrate by total internal reflection.

47. The optical system according to claim 45, wherein said optical. element for coupling light is embedded inside said light-transmitting substrate.

49. The optical system according to claim 45, wherein said second optical element for coupling light is a polarizing beamsplitter.

53. The optical system according to claim 45, wherein said second substrate is positioned between said first substrate and said reflecting optical element.

54. The optical system according to claim 53, wherein a retardation plate is positioned between said second substrate and said reflecting optical element.

55. The optical system according to claim 53, further comprising a second reflecting optical element which is positioned adjacent to one of the major surfaces of said second substrate.

59. The optical system according to claim 45, wherein said two light-transmitting substrates are optically attached.

60. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein an angular sensitive coating is applied to at least one major surface of said substrate.

61. The optical system according to claim 45, wherein an angular sensitive coating is applied to at least one major surface of said light-transmitting substrates.

63. The optical system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one transparent plate positioned adjacent to at least one major surface of said substrates, and wherein said transparent plate is coated with an angular sensitive coating.

65. The optical system according to claim 6, wherein said image light waves are split by said optical element for coupling light into said substrate, into two separated separate images.

68. The optical system according to claim 65, wherein said two images are coupled out of said substrate.

71. The optical system according to claim 45, further comprising:

a third light-transmitting substrate having at least two major surfaces parallel to each other and two edges;

third optical element for coupling light into said substrate by internal reflection, and

at least one partially reflecting surface located in said substrate, which surface is non-parallel to the major surfaces of said third substrate,

wherein said third substrate is positioned adjacent to said first substrate.

72. The optical system according to claim 71, wherein image waves which are coupled out of the first substrate are coupled into said second and third substrates by total internal reflection.

76. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said system is a collimating lens.

77. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said system is a focusing lens.

81. The optical system according to claim 1, further comprising a second reflecting optical element positioned between the display light source and one of the major surfaces of the substrate.

8. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

21-23. -23. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

29-31. -31. (canceled)

34-35. -35. (canceled)

41-44. -44. (canceled)

48. (canceled)

50-52. -52. (canceled)

56-58. -58. (canceled)

62. (canceled)

64. (canceled)

66-67. -67. (canceled)

69-70. -70. (canceled)

73-75. -75. (canceled)

78-80. -80. (canceled)